Production constraints, the real cause for delay in the launch of Maruti Suzuki Ignis

New Delhi, November 11: Ignis the new venture from Maruti Suzuki was showed at the Auto Expo earlier this year, in the form of a near-production concept.

Ignis considered as the global compact car was previewed by the iM4 concept. Earlier, it was expected that the small crossover would be launched ahead of Diwali 2016. But due to production constraints, launch has been suspended for a while. The bookings for Baleno, the latest success of Maruti Suzuki, is still remaining, as it received such a large number of bookings. This also lead to the delay of the launch of Ignis. Ignis is expected to be launched during early 2017, according to sources from Maruti Suzuki outlets.

The Ignis will be marked against the Mahindra KUV 100, launched a few moths ago. Alike its rival Mahindra KUV 100, the upcoming Maruti Suzuki will be looking to lure customers away from the hatchbacks with a promise of crossover appeal and high seating position.

Expectations are high on the final production version to be more or less identical to the Concept. The boxy shape is spruced up by means of a sporty front grille, projector headlamp clusters with integrated daytime running lights, roof rails, black plastic lower body cladding and alloy wheels.

The new Maruti Ignis mini crossover which is set to complement the popular Swift in the car maker’s B-segment portfolio has been spotted testing with heavy camouflage.

Interior design has only little in common with the existing Suzuki. New steering wheel, digi-analog instrument console, dual-tone dashboard and a standalone infotainment screen are the highlights. The car will seat 5 passengers, unlike its rival which has an optional 6-seat configuration (with front bench seat).

The Maruti Ignis is expected to be yet another sales success for the small car specialist. However, the company should address its production constraints in order to realize the full potential of its new products.